


Maybe It's Bad Luck

by hoseokies



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gentle touches, Who knows tbh, accidental attachments, frank's smokin' bod, like?? he's wet??? AND NAKED???, mild blood and gore mentioned, post season two, tags will be updated as it progresses, the world needs more frank/reader, there might be a smutty chapter, this is the first work i'm submitting on ao3 so pls bear with me, u can thank me later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 18:45:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6340978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoseokies/pseuds/hoseokies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You should have left earlier once you had the chance. Now you're stuck with no job, some gang after your head, and a supposed-to-be dead vigilante dropping by your apartment unannounced every once in a while to clean out his guns or patch himself up. Seriously, how exactly are you suppose to explain those bloodstains leading to your door to your landlord?!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for any typos you might find! i didn't finish writing and editing until 1AM;;  
> /lies down  
> enjoy!

News of the infamous Punisher’s death spread like wildfire, and just like a wildfire it eventually died down. A bad taste was still left in the mouth of Hell’s Kitchen’s population which slowly, but surely became a distant, repressed memory like any death would become. 

You felt a deep sorrow after finding out of his sudden death seeing that you believed in his cause just as much as you believed in Daredevil’s, but like every other soul in the city, you moved on with your life. It’s not like you personally knew the guy.

It had been a normal couple of weeks in Hell’s Kitchen… Well, as normal as it can get for a barista. You had many reasons to have such an occupation at this well kempt cafe, one of those very reasons being that you wouldn’t have to deal with odd occurrences… Or criminals. In the 4 months that you worked at Javawocky, you were correct in your assumption that this tiny coffee house would attract the least amount of attention. The reason for that was possibly because you had the morning shift and nothing tends to happen in the daytime; or at least nothing too big. 

By a turn of fate or merely bad luck, your manager had decided to change up the work schedules at the beginning of the week and now, much to your annoyance, you were stuck being the one to close up the cafe. 

An exasperated sigh left your lips, your eyes half lidded as you stood behind the counter with your head propped up on your hand. Your barely completed your first week with this new schedule and you could already tell you’ll continue to suffer more until the next schedule change. Maybe you could even ask your manager to give you back your old shift, you’d grovel if you need to! 

“Hey, (Name).” called Dave, your friend and coworker, from behind. “Mugs are all washed. All you gotta do is dry them and put them away.”

“Alright, thanks.” You nodded, waving him goodbye as he headed towards the door. He turned towards you once more, the artificial light bouncing off his pale skin.

“You sure you don’t want me to hang around until your shift is over? I can give you a ride home.” His offer honestly tempted you, but it would have been tedious for him to do so. Your eyes glanced to the clock on the wall that read 10:30 PM only to snort in response.

“Nah, it’s fine. Shift’s over in 45 minutes.” You intertwined your fingers and stretched your arms in front of you.

“It’s not long, I can wai-”

“Dave, I live a block away. Really, it’ll be a waste of time.”

He pursed his lips, eyes narrowing a bit before he shrugged and turned to head out.

“Okay, fine. Just text me once you make it home, will ya?” He huffed.

“Always do!” You called, a smile tugging at your lips as he waved goodbye from the outside. 

The coffee house was silent once again, the ticking of the clock quickly irritating you. You huffed and turned to the sink to finish off the work Dave left for you, pulling out a green towel from the front pocket of your tan apron. 

The minutes passed by and you were still focused on the mugs, careful not to clink them too roughly as you put them away. Once you put in the last navy blue mug away, you glanced back to the clock on the wall. 

_10:46 PM_

You frowned, facing towards the entrance of the cafe. Everything was still outside save for the passing car that just went by. You looked at the clock once more, hoping that it would magically turn to 11:15 PM.

_10:47 PM_

You tapped your fingers on the counter for a few seconds, eyeing the entrance again in case someone walked by with a craving for caffeine this late at night.

“No one’s gonna come in. I can just close up for the night. No one’s gonna mind.” You talked aloud. You nodded to yourself, determined to leave within the next few minutes. Setting the towel down on the counter, you stalk towards the door to flip the sign that currently said “ _OPEN_ ” to “ _CLOSED_ ”. You stood there for a while before opening the door to a frosty breeze nipping at your nose and cheeks. The street was quiet, not a single person walking on either side of the street. Seems like closing up a bit early wasn’t going to harm anyone after all. 

You retreated back into the warm building, not bothering with locking the door since you were about to leave in a bit and went back to cleaning the spilled water around the sink.  
A groan of relief escaped your lips as you slipped off your apron to hang in the back room and to punch in your out time. You practically skipped back out to the front, glad to have the night over so you can enjoy your well deserved weekend.

However, the moment was short lived as you skidded to a stop to see a burly man sitting in one of the few tables located by the door. When the hell had he even gotten in? You clutched your red jacket in your fist, looking between the sign on the door that clearly said closed and the man sitting comfortably in the chair that seemed too small for him. 

“Uh,” you began, itching to just run out. Freedom was so close! “Sorry, we’re closed for the ni-”

“No, you’re not.” He cut in, rudely.

A frustrated cry stuck in your throat as your eyes snapped to the clock for the fiftieth time that day.

_10:53 PM_

Well, he isn’t wrong…

You eyed this man with an intense glare, sizing him up. He was well built and wore a glossy, black overcoat which was most likely leather, some combat boots, and jeans just as black as his coat. Your guess was that he was probably just some goth guy on a coffee run for his pals. 

Your entire demeanor deflated as you threw your jacket over a nearby chair, grumbling lowly to yourself.

“Ok, what can I get you?” You snapped, way past caring if you were being rude. The guy had cut you off mid sentence two seconds ago, so you can equally be a giant dick as well!

His eyes flickered to you and judging by the way the corner of his eyes crinkled, he was probably smirking. What a prick! He spoke behind the hand that had been covering the lower half of his face, voice gruff. 

“Coffee. Black.” 

Your only response was a stern nod as you reached for the disposable cups.

“For here.” He added, humor evident in his voice.

You’re hand turned into a fist as you pulled it back, a sour smile crossing your face as you looked at him.

“Sorry, my mistake.” You mumbled, reaching into the cupboards for one of the mugs you had just dried off. 

“That’s alright.” He called, voice a little muffled.

You moved as quick as possible, concluding that the faster the coffee was done, the faster this guy would drink it and leave. You cursed the coffee machine under your breath as it drained the coffee out painfully slow. 

“Staring at it won’t make it come out any faster.” 

The voice seemed to come from straight behind you. You whirled around, completely caught off guard by how close he had gotten. You clutched the counter behind you, elbow knocking the coffee pot from it’s place. Your first instinct, albeit stupid, was to catch the hot pot with your bare hands before it crashed to the ground. 

“Don’t-” Exclaimed the man from the other side of the front counter. 

Your hands grasped onto the pot from the sides, pain instantly shooting up your arms. 

“Ow, f-fuck!” You cried, immediately releasing the pot. To make it worse, the steaming liquid poured onto your shoes before the coffee pot shattered on what used to be clean tiled ground. You jumped back, the beverage seeping through your socks and burning your feet as well. 

“Goddammit!” You shrieked, trying your best to hold back a sob. 

You had entirely forgotten about the customer until he spoke up again, hastily making his way around to get to your side.

“Be more careful, would ya?!” He pulled you away from the mess _he_ caused, palms hovering over your burnt hands as he tried to figure out how he can help. 

You snapped your head up, ready to lash out at him until his bruised and bloody face registered in your mind. 

“Wha-” You began, pushing him away and wincing as the raw skin made contact with his chest. “Y-you’re Frank Castle!”

He kept his distance, face turning from a concerned look into that of a scowl once you made the connection. His gaze hardened as you began to back away from him into the broken glass behind you. 

“But you’re s-suppose to be d-dead!” You stammered, eyes wide from both the shock and the fright. You took another step back, forgetting about the spilled coffee up until you almost slipped back onto the glass.

“GAH!” 

“Watch it!” Frank scolded, reaching forward and pulling you back to your feet where it was _dry_.

“ _Please_ don’t kill me!” You sobbed, injured hands up in a sign of surrender. Your feet and palms were still throbbing, but the thudding sound of your heartbeat in your ears was enough for you to forget about the pain. 

Sure, you supported the Punisher all those weeks ago. But it was a distant support! You would never dream of actually meeting the guy! You weren’t stupid! He was still dangerous after all! 

“I’m not gonna kill you.” He said calmly, obviously trying to keep his voice low as to not distress you any further. If you kept crying like this, it’d only attract unwanted attention from anyone that was out roaming the streets at this hour. 

“Y-you’re not?” You hesitated, shaking hands wiping away at the tears streaming down your cheeks. 

He raised an eyebrow at you turning to look out the window before focusing on your tear stricken face once again. 

“Just because you have a bad attitude, doesn’t mean you deserve a bullet in ya.”

You sniffed, facing away as he said that. _God, you’re such an idiot._

“I’m s-sorry.” You hiccuped, softly. 

“Don’t be sorry just yet.”

“Huh?” This caught your attention, eyes narrowing as you tried to decipher what he meant by that. “What do you mean?”

“I need you to go to the back. Hide behind something heavy.” He commanded, his face hardening as he faced towards the outside. 

You followed his gaze, assuming that he was staring at the four thugs headed towards the cafe. You froze, noticing the assault rifles in their possession as they crossed the street. They didn’t look like they came here for some hot chocolate. 

“Go, _now_.” Growled Frank, snatching you by the elbow and pushing you into the back room and shutting the door behind you. 

“W-wait, hold on! My jacket!” You hissed, deciding against going out and quickly grabbing your jacket.

Your eyes scanned the entire room. There really wasn’t much to protect yourself with. The only thing that looked durable would be the lockers, but they were meant for small possessions coworkers had, not an entire human body to be stuffed inside. You whined, heading towards the only other option left which was the broom and mop closet. 

It wasn’t until you shut the door and scrambled over the various cleaning supplies that the deafening shooting began. You covered your ears, the pain in your hands momentarily reminding you it was still there. Why didn’t this damn building have a back door? You’d think the blueprints would have had something about an emergency exit _somewhere_.

Glass shattering and shouts made their way to where you were situated at. Couldn’t you have left the wet sink for whoever had the morning shift tomorrow? You could have been home, in bed, watching some late night television if you would have just left a little bit earlier! There was a crashing sound from the other side of the door. 

‘ _Oh, fuck._ ’

One of the thugs was thrown into the backroom, moaning in pain. You instinctively covered your mouth, tears pricking at the corner of your eyes once more. All you had to do was stay still and not make a noise. He’d eventually go back to join the fight soon enough. 

The universe had other plans, however.

As if to worsen your situation, the mop that was propped up against the wall began to fall over. You quickly reached to stop it. You weren’t careful enough and accidentally kicked at the bucket that was in front of your foot, successfully knocking it over onto it’s side. 

Right on queue, the door slammed open to reveal the bloodied man that had been thrown into the room. The bloody pocket knife that was in his hold raised. He took a step towards you, ready to slash at your flesh. The lights flickered above him, giving him an even more menacing look. You couldn’t even scream out for help, your voice long lost as the silence in the building became apparent.

‘ _Oh, God! They killed him! And now they’re gonna kill me! This wasn’t suppose to happen!_ ’ You thought, eyes wide and unblinking.

“Please…” you whispered in a small voice.

The thug was about to lunge at you, but a single gunshot echoed and in an instant, the body fell atop of you.

You were thrown to the back of the tiny closet, the weight of the body crushing you as you struggled to get away. You screamed, feeling the warm, sticky blood seeping into your work uniform.  
Frank appeared in a heartbeat as he pulled the man off of you, throwing him out almost effortlessly. 

Your eyes glossed over as your breathing became fast and shallow. Calloused hands pulled you up, Frank’s clothes even more bloody than yours. Which wasn’t surprising at all.  
“F-Frank…” You said, weakly. Your legs buckle from beneath you and if it weren’t for Frank holding you still, you’d have crumpled down onto the floor. 

“Hey! Look at me!” His voice sounded distant as you felt the room spinning. “What’s your name?!” He tried again, pulling you closer and making his way out of the building with you in tow.

“(N-name).” You stammered, catching two mangled bodies on the ground and the blood splattered on the walls. 

A strangled gasp left your mouth as you noticed the broken pot from before had been impaled in one of the thugs’ neck. The blood from your face drained as you gagged, holding back your puke.  
“(Name), you’re going into shock. I need you to focus on my voice and nothing more, do you understand?”

You gave a feeble nod, unaware that he might not have caught it. Once outside, a cold sweat broke out on your skin as you clutched onto your rescuer’s coat. Still, your breathing wasn’t under control and with each intake of air you made, you felt as if it wasn’t enough. Your lungs were constricting which only made your breathing quicken even more. 

“Where do you live?” 

It took you a moment to respond, brain focused on the mere action of getting enough oxygen. 

“A-a block away… On 37th and Grove.” 

You were pale and weak by now, legs giving out every few steps. No matter how much you tried to keep your head and breathing leveled, your vision was beginning to blur. Frank noticed just how deep into shock you were going and opted into picking you up. There was no way he’d get you to your apartment in time with your weakened state. 

Normally, you would have argued and given anyone hell for picking you up, but you didn’t have the energy to do so right now. 

“Apartment…” you utter, softly.

Frank only grunts in acknowledgment. You proceed.

“Second fl-floor,” A shiver wracks your body and keeps you from going on for a split second. He notices and you can feel his grip tightening as he pulls your clammy body closer as he breaks out into a run.  
“Apartment 27.” You finish, eyes bleary as you watch him clench and unclench his jaw. It’s funny that despite his bloody nose, busted lip, and his overall lacerated face… You still found him rather handsome. A faint laugh resounded and if it weren’t for the annoyed look Frank gave you, you wouldn’t have noticed that it was you who did it. 

' _Shit, I’m going crazy. It’s because of the lack of oxygen my brain is getting! Of course! It has to be that!_ ' You thought, burying your face into what you can now confirm to be a leather coat.  
In moments, he was carrying you up a flight of stairs and you mentally thanked to whatever higher being for the absence of any resident roaming the hallways. 

“Keys.” huffed Frank, his eyes scanning down the hallway on both sides in case someone decided to investigate the thudding footsteps stomping their way down the halls this late at night. 

“Pocket.” You murmured, a shaky hand reaching into your jeans’ front pocket and pulling out a set of keys. He shifted you in his arms, reaching for the keys and trying to keep you in his arm as best as he could. It took him a few tries to get the right key, but he ultimately got the right one. 

He quickly slipped inside, shutting the door behind him as he threw the keys off to God knows where. 

Your eyes squeezed shut, the world spinning violently around you as your breathing continued to stutter. 

Frank moved to your couch, gently setting you down and much to your confusion, raising your feet up. You quickly forgot about it as your eyes fluttered with your next gasp of breath. 

“F-Frank..” You gaped, hair sticking to your sweaty face.

His fingers pressed just underneath your jaw. “Your pulse is too rapid. I need you to calm down or else you’ll pass out, (Name).”

You whimpered before the entire world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, there's the first chapter of my contribution to the frank/reader tag. hope you guys enjoyed it so far salfk;adj  
> i'm not exactly sure how long this will play out, but i hope you're still around to find out~ ; v ;


	2. Chapter 2

A slight ringing sound was the first thing you heard. Everything was still black and although you kept trying to order your eyes to open, they wouldn’t cooperate. How long have you been out? Your eyes squeezed tighter together as the growing light began to show behind your eyelids.

 _“Looks like (Name) will come around right about now.”_ A woman murmured. She sounded distant, but you weren’t able to identify who it was.

 _“Is it serious?”_ Another voice spoke up this time, the only difference being that it sounded vaguely familiar. _“Do you know what might have caused it?”_

 _“We took a blood test while (Name) was resting earlier,”_ answered the woman. Her voice was closer this time. _“We found high traces of caffeine in the patient’s bloodstream which-”_

_“What are you saying? That (Name) had a caffeine overdose?”_

You felt your eyebrows furrow, the voices becoming clearer as you began to stir.

Was that Dave who just spoke? You heard him scoff, not bothering to hide his disbelief at what the woman was implying. A blood test? Who exactly was she?

 _“Well, it happens. Not often, but it does,”_ she assured. _“Overexertion could be what caused the shock. Has (Name) been working later than usual? A new exercise regime, perhaps?”_

_“Wha- Well, working night shift for the first time could be tough. Especially, if it’s for a week straight... Wait, so you’re saying this is actually a thing that happens?”_

There was a soft laugh the moment your eyes fluttered open.

You slowly turned your head towards the woman that had just laughed. She was wearing lilac colored scrubs and also adjusting something by your bedside. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, eyes tired, but still filled with a tender look in them.

“Yes, but this was a mild case. (Name) should be fine by the time they wake up- Which happens to be right now.” She smiled at your puzzled expression, reaching into the pocket on her chest to pull out the disposable thermometer strips.

“(Name)!” Gasped Dave, quickly throwing himself to your side.

“Open, please.” Quipped the nurse, prodding the strip on your lips. You followed her instructions, wide eyes turning to your coworker.

He noticed the confusion on your face, but only responded with a shake of his head.

“Well, look who finally decided to wake up!” Boomed a man who you can only assume was the doctor if his white coat was any indication. “And some color returned to your face already! Just what we want! I’m Doctor Shaefer, your overseer for the past couple of hours.”

The strip was removed from your mouth, your lips opening to spew out the questions you so badly wanted answered.

“Where am I?” You croaked, clearing your throat right away after hearing how horrible you sounded.

“That would be Metro-General Hospital.” Replied the nurse, as she took a quick look to the strip before tossing it into a wastebasket. “Temperature is normal.”

“ _Okay_ , but _why_?” You huffed, now turning to the doctor what was making his way to your side, politely asking Dave to take a step back.

“Well, (Name). You were admitted a few hours ago because you were showing signs of shock. Fast heartbeat, profuse sweating, trouble breathing.. You were experiencing all of those right?”

You watched as he began to check your pulse rate and blood pressure, nodding hesitantly. How did you get here though? The last thing you remember was Frank asking for the keys to your apartment and anything that might have happened after that was long gone.

He nodded.

“As expected. Thank you, Vera. That’ll be all for now.” He thanked the nurse who wished you a fast recovery before excusing herself from the room.

Dave began fidgeting from his spot at the end of the bed, tapping his foot rather impatiently.

Your heart and lungs were next as he positioned his stethoscope to your chest and then onto your back. He hummed a bit in approval as you huffed out a breath.

“I take it that’s a good thing?” You posed, eyes hopeful.

He took one look at your face and let out a hearty laugh, leaning back and nodding.

“I can just tell you’re about ready to run out that door. Lucky for you, yes. Your vitals are back to normal and it seems like this was just a mild attack.”

Both you and Dave let out sighs of relief, earning another chuckle from Doctor Shaefer.

“But I have to tell you to lay off the caffeine for a while. This might have been a small attack, but it can happen again if you don’t control your consumption of coffee, energy drinks and the sorts.” He warned, patting your shoulder. “Just make sure to drink lots of water and eat foods that have high levels of potassium or magnesium, alright?”

You nodded vigorously, pleased to know that you weren’t in any serious trouble.

“Well, that seems to be about it. There’ll be some paperwork to fill out before you leave. And if I were you, I’d give that guy who brought you in a call. It seemed like he knew what precautions to take before bringing you in.” He patted the end of your bed, voicing his goodbyes before exiting the room.

‘ _Frank!_ ’ You thought, almost forgetting about him completely. So, it was _him_ that had brought you in… But where was he now?

You wiped at your forehead, another relieved sigh escaping your lips. Dave glared at you from the foot of the bed, an equally disappointed and concerned look on his face.

“Get dressed. I’ll go fill out those papers and take you home.” He mumbled, closing the door behind him.

***

The ride back to your apartment was filled with tension so thick, you’d be able to slice a knife through it. It was mostly scolding on Dave’s behalf as he expressed his concern when you didn’t text him and then how news of the Javawocky being completely trashed was on almost every television channel.

“I was right to be scared shitless!” He snapped, quickly sending you a glare before turning his attention back to the road. “I tried calling you about 50 times, hoping that you’d answer me, but you didn’t! And right when I decided to head to your place to check up on you, I get a call from your phone only for me to find out it actually wasn’t you who was calling!”

Your interest was piqued once he said this, a sheepish look on your face.

“Some guy, who sounded like he needed a handful of cough drops, told me you were at Metro-General and then hung up! No explanation whatsoever!

You felt guilty the more you heard his ranting. Dave wasn’t exactly a close friend of yours, but it was obvious that he cared so much for your wellbeing. You murmured out a sympathetic sorry which was loud enough for him to hear and shut up.

He heaved out a sigh, an embarrassed smile crossing his features.

“It’s fine now that you’re okay. But it looks like we’ll be out of a job for a few weeks - maybe even months… That is, if Boss doesn’t let us all go.”

You grunted in response, slouching in your seat as you watched him drive a different route to your apartment complex to avoid the mayhem going on by Javawocky.

“Who was he?”

You turned towards Dave, curiously. He wanted to know about Frank, but how exactly were you going to tell him someone who’s supposedly dead was the one that basically saved your life twice in one night? You chose to act ignorant, shrugging at his question.

“I ‘unno. Probably someone who lived down the hall from me.”

It was believable enough because he just nodded, accepting your answer rather quickly.

“So, you weren’t back at the cafe when the shooting began?”

You lied again.

“No. I was beginning to feel like shit by the time I locked up and I guess walking up those stairs to get home really was the cherry on top.”

“Alright, but what about the blood on your clothes?" 

_'Crap.'_ you peered down at your shirt covered in someone else's blood. 

"Oh, this?" you asked, pinching the fabric between your fingers. "I think I had a nosebleed after passing out. Might have hit myself."

You almost felt bad at how readily he accepted your answer. _...Almost._

The car slowed to a stop in front of your apartment complex, both of you simultaneously unbuckling your seat belts. You paused, eyeing him incredulously.

“What?” He questioned, turning off the ignition.

“What are you doing?” You retorted, sharply.

“What does it look like? I’m walking you to your door.” He said, rolling his eyes as if his actions didn’t speak for themselves already.

You snorted in disbelief, grabbing him by his t-shirt and pulling him back into his seat.

“Like hell you are! I can walk there myself!” Your short temper was being tested now. After the events that went on tonight, your patience was dangerously low. You weren’t afraid to punch Dave if he continued to baby you any further!

“Don’t be stupid, (Name).” He complained, shaking your grip off of his shirt. “You’re still weak. What if you fall down the stairs?”

That earned him a sarcastic laugh and an eyeroll from you.

“I’m climbing at the most 25 steps. And there’s a new thing called handrails? You might have heard of them.”

He didn’t look convinced.

“C’mon, Dave! I’m not climbing Mount Everest here!” You fussed, your voice rising an octave as you resorted to whining. “It’s, what? 2 AM-?”

“Almost 3.” He cut in, the tiredness evident in his voice at the realization.

“3 AM!” You exclaimed, hiding the surprise. “You can wait here until I make it into the building, okay? You deserve a well earned rest as much as I deserve a freakin’ banana right now.”

He chuckled at that which made you smile. He seemed to give in because he buckled himself back in and turned the ignition on once again.

“Alright, hurry up and get your ass inside then.” He scolded, waving you off as you shut the door.

“Thanks for everything!” You shouted.

He gave you a curt nod before you turned and tried your best to not hobble your way inside. The air was brisk and still as chilly as it had been all those hours ago, but it didn’t bother you. It made you feel more awake than you had felt since you woke up in the hospital bed.

Once inside, you looked behind you to find Dave driving off. Your head slowly turning to the flight of stairs waiting for you. With a puffed out chest and half-hearted stride, you began the climb to get to your home.

It took you longer than expected to finally get to the last step, but once you did, you couldn’t help but cheer to yourself. You reveled in your triumph for only a few seconds until the gleam of the light bulb above you flickered. That seemed to be happening a lot tonight… Stolen of your delight, you continued onwards, keeping your left hand on the wall just in case you stumbled over your own feet.

The hallway was silent, the flickering light from behind you giving it a strange ambiance. This was something straight out of a horror movie! Your eyes momentarily flashed to the door on your right, a heavy snore resounding from the other side.

A shaky breath of relief left your lips as your apartment finally came into view.

“Note to self,” you muttered, “Never take a night shift, _ever_.”

You patted your pockets, cursing to yourself when you didn’t feel your keys.

You bit back a groan, the snore from a few doors down reminding you that people were very much sleeping. You came to a halt in front of your door, the number 27 practically mocking you.

“Please be open, please be open.” You chanted, fist wrapping around the doorknob.

With a turn of the wrist, the clicking sound was almost music to your ears. And much to your joy, you weren’t robbed of your stuff while you were passed out in a hospital. You quickly slipped inside, leaving the eerie feeling out in the hall.

You puffed out a breath of air, automatically locking the door by the chain. It wasn’t something you usually did, but it felt needed right now. You laid your forehead on the door, eyes closing as you let the coolness of the wood calm you down.

Your eyebrow twitched at the only sound that seemed out of place in the quiet apartment.

What _is_ that?

Eyes snapping open, you turn your head to look behind you. The sound was coming from somewhere inside your home. Your apartment was small, kitchen and living room both combined, so it wouldn’t take a detective to know it was coming from your bedroom.

Any sane person would have fled the scene to call the cops, but of course you were no sane person. Instead of running away, you went straight towards the danger despite your brain screaming at you to turn around and let the police handle it. For all you know, you were walking into a robbery mid-way!

Deciding to leave the lights turned off might have been a mistake on your behalf as you stubbed your toe on the foot of the couch. Afterall, it was better this way, right? If it’s dark, the intruder won’t see you coming! A solid plan!

Arms outstretched, you began to pat around for something you could use as a weapon, but to no avail, you had no such thing within arms reach. This should have been reason enough to just leave, but you were stubborn and rightfully pissed that you couldn’t catch a break all of tonight.

The closer you got to the origin of the sound, the better you were able to figure out what it was.

You squinted at your bedroom door, scoffing in disbelief at your discovery. What the actual _fuck_ was this robber doing taking a _shower_ in _your_ bathroom?! This was your chance however! The person was at their most vulnerable right this moment! You can just barge in there and -

“Oh, this would work!” You whispered to yourself, reaching into your hallway closet to take out a belt. Scenarios were reeling in your head of possible ways to attack the trespasser.

You closed your eyes, gathering your wits before releasing a deep breath. This was stupid and you were gonna probably get into more trouble than you already were, but… It’s too late to back out now.

 _‘No, it is actually not too late to back out now! The front door is right behind you, idiot!’_ Your mind screamed at you. You brushed your thoughts away, opening the door as gently as possible.

Honestly, this suddenly turned from what could have been a horror movie into a thriller so quickly. Maybe you could even sell this story to Hollywood and get someone hot to play your role.

Sometime between opening the door and getting so easily lost in your thoughts, the showerhead had been turned off.

You froze, belt in hand as there was some shuffling of clothes and feet moving around inside the bathroom.

“ _Shit._ ” you hissed, eyes jumping to any possible hiding places and- Wait, nothing seemed to be missing. What kind of robber was this?!

_Click._

Your eyes were glued on the opening door, breath caught in your throat.

The dark room was filled with a blinding light as the bathroom door was opened. You blinked, eyes attempting to readjust to the sudden change of lighting.

You darted towards the person coming out, flinging yourself on to what actually felt to be a brick wall.

There was a grunt and _a lot_ of water…

Much to your horror, you were only able to make the thief stagger a few steps back. It was time to use your pathetic weapon.

You were sure there was a rule somewhere that said to never take your eyes off of your opponent, but with the adrenaline pumping in your veins along with panic and terror, you couldn’t help but squeeze your eyes shut as you pushed away from the bulky body.

Your right arm rose, belt securely gripped as you blindly swung it down. You were only able to _hope_ it was going to meet the face of your target.

It all happened too quick. One moment you were about to whip this intruder and the next, you had a bone shattering grip around your wrist midair.

Your eyes flashed open, a scream about ready to escape until...

“What the _hell_ are you doing?” Growled Frank.

You gaped, eyes following his movements as he yanked the belt away from you.

“Wha-- _Me?!_ ” You retaliated, eyes growing livid. “What the hell are _you_ doing?! You’re showering in _my_ bathroom!”

“The blood was all crusty.” He said, casually.

It aggravated you how unphased he seemed to be even after being discovered here. However, your aggravation was completely extinguished at your sudden predicament. A sudden heat crept up your neck at the realization of just how naked he actually was. You felt your eyebrows shoot up to your hairline as your gaze continued to trail lower… And lower… _And lower_.

“Hope you don’t mind. I had to dry myself off with _something_.” He chuckled, watching your face contort into that of pure embarrassment.

You pulled your arm back, the towel wrapped around his waist dipping a little too dangerously low for your comfort.

“Whatever, just _put some clothes on._ ” You flushed, ears and cheeks feeling hot. You began to retreat, back hitting the open door in your haste to get out.

Frank tilted his head a bit to the right, an amused smile etching itself across his face as he watched you stumble out.

“Y-you and I; we’re gonna have a talk about this, you h-hear me?” Your voice shook, not sounding as firm and intimidating as you were hoping it would.

He licked his lips, holding back another laugh as he brushed his nose.

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded, the corner of his eyes crinkling from the enjoyment he was having as he witnessed how flustered you were.

You gave a stern nod, risking a last quick glance to his toned body. The lower half of his _dripping wet_ abdomen forming a defined “V” shape, almost signaling that, yes, there was a penis just a little lower, but unfortunately it was hidden by this _goddamn towel._ ...Wait, unfortunately?

Frank let out a cough, waiting for you to finally leave.

You laughed nervously and slammed the door a bit too hard.

Covering your face, you backed away from the door as you wondered what just happened. It’s not like you can just kick him out! A) He had saved your ass and B) He was still _scary_ as fuck. ...But also _hot_ as hell.

Grumbles left your mouth as you once again ventured blindly in your room, your goal now being to find the light switch without breaking a toe or two.

After successfully illuminating your bedroom with some light, you threw yourself onto your bed, bouncing a few times on your stomach before adjusting yourself into a sitting position. Your eyes were fixed on the bathroom door which was no more than 9 feet away from you, trying to calm your nerves before he came out.

It felt like an eternity before he finally stepped out. Your heartbeat only spiked in response when his shirtless body walked your way with a worn out duffel bag in hand. You scrambled out of the way, trying to give him more space as he plopped himself beside you.

“Okay,” you squeaked, watching him rummage through his duffel, obviously ignoring you. You waited a moment, accidentally getting lost in the way his triceps and biceps strained against his slightly moist skin.

Your mouth ran dry as your eyes wandered over his body once again, silently praising his well-built physique.

 _God._ You were so thirsty. Both physically _and_ figuratively.

You shook your head, chasing away the perverted thoughts.

“ _Okay,_ ” you tried again, straightening your posture to make yourself look more confident than you actually felt.

“Give me a minute, will ya?” He muttered, taking out a fresh shirt and a first aid kit.

“ _Look,_ ” you pressed, ignoring his words. “Just because you kicked some ass and saved me in the process, doesn’t mean you can just make yourself at home while I’m dying in the hospital!”

Frank laughed, propping his hand on his knee to give you an exasperated look.

“You weren’t _dying_.” He fired back with a roll of his eyes.

“You don’t know that!”

“I’m sure they wouldn’t release you from the hospital so quickly if you were dying.”

Well, he got you there. You huffed, a scowl decorating your features.

“ _Point is,_ ” you continued, “It’s unethical to shower in someone’s home without their permission!”

By now, he looked fed up with your complaining and threw his duffel bag to the ground, causing you to flinch at his aggressiveness.

“No offense, ma’am, but you’re being a bit too dramatic. Having a member of the White Tigers get his brain splattered all over in front of you is _unethical_. Me showering while you were out is nothing compared to having your cafe destroyed.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Who the hell are the White Tigers?” You questioned, waiting for his reply as he busied himself by applying ointment to his knuckles and to some scrapes on his arms.

“It’s a gang I’ve crossed a few times now.”

A few times? Had you - along with the rest of Hell’s Kitchen - overestimated the Punisher?

Frank noticed the judgmental look you were shooting his way which made him glare at you.

“They’re sneaky as hell and a lot more sophisticated than I thought. But they’re likely to get the message that I’m not backing down after tonight. I’ll gut every last one of those sons of bitches just like I do with all the other scumbags I meet.”

“Okay, calm down there, Rambo.” You laughed, nervously patting his shoulder.

You weren’t gonna lie. Seeing him talk so fiercely and righteously had your face heating up once again. You were disgusted by how much this dangerous, smoking hot murderer was turning you on. For Christ’s sake, he was talking about _gutting_ people!

“Anyways,” he began, giving your patting hand a pointed look. “One of ‘em managed to get away tonight.”

He watched your face for any reaction at all, but there was none. What exactly was he expecting from you? All you knew was the gang member that got away - lucky for him - didn’t die along with his buddies.

The more Frank’s eyes bore into you, the more uncomfortable you got.

“Uhm, okay?” You blinked, eyebrows knitting together.

“(Name), you don’t understand.” The next words were spoken slowly, as if he were trying to explain the quadratic formula to a toddler. “They. Saw. You.”

Ah, yes. The reaction he was expecting finally appeared. You froze, staring at him in disbelief.

“Wait-” you started, voice frantic.

“No doubt the bastard went running back to his boss.” He cut in, turning away from you to apply some antibacterial cream to a gash that was just below his rib cage.

“ _Wait-_ ” you tried again, only to be cut off once more by Frank’s blabbering mouth.

“He saw that you were with me, so they’ll most likely come after you in hopes that you’ll have any sort of information having to do with my whereabouts. Might even use you as bait.”

“ _Would you shut up?!_ ” You snapped, mind trying to process the information that was just dumped on you.

He was quiet, positioning a bandage on the wound before slipping on his dark grey wife-beater.

“So, this means _what_ , exactly?” You inquired, weakly. “They’ll come after me... But th-they don’t know where I live!” You’re eyes seemed hopeful.

“If they really want the information, they’ll find a way.” He crushed what little hope had blossomed in your chest as if it were nothing.

“Then what do I do?” You hissed in an accusing tone. You were still willing to blame Frank for all of this happening.

“Leave town for a while-”

“I can’t just get up and leave!” You cried, motioning to your entire bedroom. “I’m out of a job and it’s not like I just have money lying around to go on a trip last minute!”

“Alright, then don’t.” He began to repack his kit, zipping up his duffle bag and getting up from his position on the bed.

You quickly followed suit. You hated how nonchalant he was with the whole damn thing! He might be used to having people after him, but you weren’t!

“So, that’s it? They’ll come after me and beat the living shit out of me?” A thick layer of emotion was evident in your voice as you tried to keep calm.

“No, not exact-”

“I’ll die a horrible death because I won’t be able to give them the information they want!” You shouted, panic laced your words as Frank began to slip on his combat boots. He continued to walk out to the living room, headed straight for the front door.

“I’m not going to let-”

“You can’t just leave! They’ll kidnap me and torture me!” You began to wail, horrified that after ruining your life, he was willing to just walk out as easily as he walked in.

He jerked around, quickly grabbing you by the chin to keep you from looking away.

“ _Listen to me,_ ” he growled.

You went silent, sniffling away the tears and snot as his grip on your face made you squirm uncomfortably.

“I’m not letting anyone hurt you, you got that?” He didn’t wait for you to respond, breath fanning over your face as he spoke. “I got you into this mess and I sure as hell will get you out, understood?”

You nodded as best as you could, a few tears spilling over from the sudden movement. His face softened as he loosened his grip, fingers moving to wipe away the tears from your cheeks.

“I’m sorry, (Name).” He murmured, softly.

You didn’t answer. It’s not like you were going to say it’s okay when it obviously _was not_.

He pulled his rough hands away from your face, turning from you to slip on his leather coat.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.” His throaty voice sounded confident which made you feel a little better. You were entrusting your life in Frank Castle’s hands.

Who would have known _the_ Punisher would be your personal bodyguard?

He glanced over his shoulder, a warm look in his eyes as he gazed at you. The sudden thumping of your heart made you look away timidly, suddenly feeling self conscious that he had seen you cry twice already.

The door clicked open and when you turned back, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk when i'll get chapter 3 up ! i've been staying up until 4 AM writing these bad boys and also revising them. hnnng. esp with classes starting next week, i'll have much less time. sorry for any typos you might have found !


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